5 bestselling entry-level hatchbacks in February 2019

The Maruti Suzuki WagonR received a comprehensive generation update in January. With the new generation model, the WagonR moved to a safer and stronger Heartect-A. The WagonR has been around in India since late 1999 and is the bestselling entry-level hatchback in its segment in the country. With 15,661 units sold in February 2019, the WagonR has once again topped its segment. The Maruti Suzuki WagonR is available with two petrol engine options – 1.0L three-cylinder K10B and 1.2L four-cylinder K12B. Both the powertrains are available with a 5-speed manual and AMT gearbox options.

The Tata Tiago, with 8,286 units sold in February 2019, is the second highest-selling entry-level hatchback in the country. The way in which the Tiago has cracked the entry-level hatchback segment is commendable, as the car has been around only for three years. While the car hasn’t received any significant updates till date, Tata Motors is readying a facelift for the Tiago very soon. It is the only car in this list to be offered with both, petrol (1.2L Revotron) as well as diesel (1.05L Revotorq) motors. Both the engines are mated to 5-speed manual gearbox, while the petrol gets an AMT as an option.

Hyundai Motors entered the Indian market in 1999 with the Santro tall-boy hatchback. The car not only established the Korean manufacturer in India but also reached legendary status. Such is the brand pull of the Hyundai Santro nameplate that company dealerships continued to receive enquires for the car even after it was discontinued by Hyundai in 2015. Hyundai India launched the all-new Santro in October 2018, and the car has lived up to its brand name quite efficiently. The company sold 6,875 units in February, becoming the third best-selling car in its segment. The Hyundai Santro is available with a 1.1-litre four-cylinder petrol motor that puts out 68 bhp and 99 Nm. The engine is coupled with a 5-speed manual gearbox and an AMT. The Santro is the first and only car from the Korean carmaker to get an AMT.

The Renault Kwid recently got an update for MY2019, which comes with standard safety features like driver airbag, ABS with EBD, speed alert system and driver and passenger seat belt reminder. With 5,050 units sold in February, the Kwid is the fourth most-selling entry-level hatchback in the country. It was the first car in its segment to feature a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system. The Kwid is offered with two petrol engine options - 0.8-litre (53bhp/72Nm) and 1.0-litre motors (67bhp/91Nm). Both the engines are available with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The 1.0-litre motor additionally gets an AMT.

Strangely, sales of the Maruti Suzuki Celerio have declined to 3,631 units in February. The car managed 9,217-unit sales in January, while the cumulative sales for 2018 stood at 1,00,957 units (8,413 units average). The decline in sales could be a result of the introduction of the new Maruti Suzuki WagonR, which was launched in January. The Celerio is also offered in a crossover body style, dubbed as the Celerio X. It uses a 1.0-litre three-cylinder K10B petrol motor that puts out 67 bhp and 91 Nm. It is available across variants with either an AMT or a 5-speed manual gearbox. The regular model is also offered with a CNG option.